Metro Bus Service opening delayed in Lahore

January 31, 2013 – 5:08 am -
Pakistani

The Lahore Metro Bus System is a fast transportation bus system being built in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The inauguration of the Metro Bus Service was due to take place on January 27, 2013. Due to the work on the bus stations the opening is being delayed for up to a month.

Lahore Transport Company (LTC) has defined two corridors, on which the Bus Transit will run: Ferozepur Road line extending 28 km and Multan Road Line extending 12 km.

The bus corridor and 8 kilometre high track are mainly completed and some 20 bus stations are still under construction. The Punjab government maintains that the widespread Metro Bus Service (MBS) infrastructure is being built rapidly.

Chief Minister set a series of deadlines for the completion of projects that have been missed starting from October 30 2012.

Officials of the Lahore Transport Company (LTC) and the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (Tepa) said it was up to the chief minister to decide a new date for the project’s inauguration, but they estimated that it would be finished as early as February 10, or as late as the end of next month.

Budget 30b rupees are the cost of the Metro Bus Service, according to Khawaja Ahmed Hassan, an adviser to the chief minister.
via Tribune Express

Saadullah Khan and Brothers (SKB) built the first bus station on the elevated track that starts from Muslim Town towards Qurtaba Chowk. It is near to be completed. The next station at Ichhra, also being built by SKB, that is in a more advanced stage.

The next four stations along the elevated track are being built by ZKB Constructions. According to site engineer the work would be finished in February.

A joint project of IKAN Engineering and Habib Construction is responsible for three bus stations on the elevated track. Two stations, at the Secretariat and the DCO’s office, are almost complete, while the third at Data Darbar is under construction that is being expected to complete in February.

According to Tepa officials, stations between Data Darbar and Shahdara will require another 10-15 days of work, Twenty-two of the 26 escalators for the corridor have been fitted and are being tested. Some escalators work is under construction and hopefully would be completed within a few days.

Due to several changes Lahore metro bus system has been delayed but upon completion it would be the first rapid transit system in Pakistan.

On 25th December 2012, a test run of the articulated buses was conducted from Gajjumata to Kalma Chowk Fly Over. Six of the 45 buses have reached Lahore.

Each bus has a capacity of 150 passengers. An independent security has been established for this project. The Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif drove the bus from Chungi Amar Sidhu to Gajjumata.